COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Junior Paola Ampudia (Cali, Colombia) of the Tiger volleyball team has been tabbed as the Big 12 Rookie of the Week for her performance during the Michigan/Pepsi Challenge last weekend. Ampudia posted 34 kills - including a career-best 12 against Morehead State - en-route to being named to the All-Tournament team. This is Ampudia's first career weekly honor and it is the first Big 12 weekly laurel for the Tigers since Sept. 22, 2008, when Caitlyn Vann (Muncie, Ind.) was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week.

Ampudia, the Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year, posted career-best totals in each of the major statistical categories at the Michigan Pepsi Challenge. Along with her career-best 12 kills against Morehead State, Ampudia registered a career-best 32 attacks in that match as well. In the Tigers' first match of the tournament, Ampudia posted 11 kills on 18 attacks while committing only two attack errors, earning her a career-best .500 hitting percentage in the match. She also posted a four total blocks in that match, also a career-best. Ampudia added nine kills against Fairfield and two against Michigan.

Not only did Ampudia put up big numbers offensively, but she posted 13 digs on the weekend, including a season-best seven against Morehead State. She also committed only one service reception error on 25 attempts and pitched in a service ace and 10.0 total blocks on the weekend. Ampudia is the first-ever Tiger to be named Big 12 Rookie of the Week.

Ampudia and the Tigers will return to action this Wednesday (Sept. 16) as they take on Kansas in the M&I Bank Border Showdown at 6:30 p.m. at the Hearnes Center. The match will also mark the volleyball program's first-ever 'Dig for the Cure' promotion that will raise breast cancer awareness. For all the latest on Mizzou volleyball, stay tuned to www.MUTigers.com.